Weigela plant named ‘Bokrafive’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Weigela florida,  ‘Bokrafive’, characterized by its glossy, blackish purple foliage and its very compact and nearly dwarf plant habit.

Botanical classification: Weigela florida.

Variety denomination: ‘Bokrafive’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Weigelaflorida and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name,‘Bokrafive’. ‘Bokrafive’ is a new cultivar of old fashion Weigela, ashrub grown for use as an ornamental landscape plant.

The new cultivar of Weigela is a selection from an ongoing breedingprogram conducted by the Inventor in Boskoop, The Netherlands with theobjective of creating new cultivars of Weigela with compact plant habitsand attractive foliage coloration.

The new variety of Weigela, ‘Bokrafive’, designated as accession no.00090-05 was selected from seedlings derived from a cross made in summerof 2000 between unnamed proprietary seedlings of Weigela florida. Thefemale parent, designated as accession no. 93115, derived from openpollination of the cultivar ‘Evita’ (not patented). The male parent of‘Bokrafive’ is unknown. After 6 years of observation, ‘Bokrafive’ wasselected as a single unique plant in summer of 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by theInventor using softwood stem cuttings in summer of 2007 in Boskoop, TheNetherlands. The characteristics of this cultivar have been determinedto be stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in a trial plotfor eight years in Boskoop, The Netherlands. These attributes incombination distinguish ‘Bokrafive’ as a unique cultivar of Weigela.

-   -   1. ‘Bokrafive’ exhibits a very compact and nearly dwarf plant        habit.    -   2. ‘Bokrafive’ exhibits glossy, blackish purple foliage.        The female parent, no. 93115, differs from ‘Bokrafive’ in having        a much less compact plant habit, in having glossy dark green        foliage and in being more floriferous. ‘Bokrafive’ can be most        closely compared to the cultivars ‘Victoria’ and ‘Minuet’ (both        unpatented). ‘Victoria’ differs from ‘Bokrafive’ in having a        taller and much less compact plant habit and in having foliage        that is dull and brownish-green in color. ‘Minuet’ differs from        ‘Bokrafive’ in having a less compact and more spreading plant        habit, in having foliage that is brownish-green in color and in        being more floriferous.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographs were taken in May and illustratethe overall appearance and distinct characteristics of 8 year-old plantsthe new Weigela as grown in a trial plot in Boskoop, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides an overall view of the growth habitand blooming habit of ‘Bokrafive’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the foliage of‘Bokrafive’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the flowers of‘Bokrafive’. The colors in the photograph may differ slightly from thecolor values cited in the detailed botanical description, whichaccurately describe the colors of the new Weigela.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of 8 year-old plants of the newcultivar as grown outdoors in full sun in a trial plot in Boskoop, TheNetherlands. Plants were grown under average day temperatures of 15° C.to 28° C. and average night temperature of 7° C. to 18° C. The phenotypeof the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic,and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance withThe 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London,England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Blooms for about 3 weeks in May in Boskoop,            The Netherlands.        -   Plant type.—Deciduous shrub.        -   Plant habit.—Very compact, broadly upright, freely branched,            nearly dwarf stature.        -   Plant size.—Reaches about 50 cm in height and 82 cm in            width.        -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 5 to 9.        -   Environmental stress.—Highly tolerant to wind and rain.        -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to            diseases or pests has been observed, similar to other            Weigela known to the Inventor.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, moderately dense.-   Growth and propagation:    -   -   Propagation.—Softwood stem cuttings.        -   Root initiation.—An average of 30 days at soil temperatures            of 20° C.        -   Root development.—An average of 26 weeks at air temperatures            of 18° C. to finish a young plant.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate, about 4 cm per month in spring.-   Stem description:    -   -   Shape.—Slightly quadrangular with older branches rounded.        -   Stem color.—New growth; 183A and 183B tinged at nodes            with145A, mature wood; 199B and 199C.        -   Stem size.—An average of 22.3 cm in length and 2 mm in            diameter.        -   Stem surface.—New growth; moderately glossy with more            terminal portion of stems pubescent with hairs about 0.5 mm            in length and 155B in color, mature wood is dull and            glabrous.        -   Stem aspect.—Upright to outward at an average angle of 45°.        -   Branching.—Basal branching, an average of 168 lateral            branches.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Elliptic.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Short attenuate.        -   Leaf apex.—Acuminate.        -   Leaf fragrance.—None.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, color upper surface 144B, color            lower surface 145A and tinged with 183B and 183C.        -   Leaf margins.—Finely serrate, pubescent with hairs about            0.75 mm in length and 158B and 158C in color.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf surface.—Upper surface; glossy with main vein            moderately covered with hairs about 0.75 mm in length and            158B and 158C in color, lower surface; glossy and moderately            covered with hairs about 0.5 mm in length and 158C and 158D            in color.        -   Leaf internode length.—An average of 2.6 cm.        -   Leaf size.—An average of 4.3 cm in length and 2.2 cm in            width.        -   Leaf quantity.—An average of 16 per stem.        -   Leaf color.—Newly expanded leaves; upper surface 200A and            lower surface 200A and 200B, mature leaves; upper surface            147A and tinged with N200B and lower surface N200B.        -   Petioles.—About 5 mm in length and 1.5 mm in width, color            145A and tinged with 183B and 183C.        -   Stipules.—None.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Solitary, in pairs, or in small clusters            at terminus and leaf axils.        -   Inflorescence size.—From of 1.4 cm in diameter and 3.6 cm in            depth when a solitary flower and up to 3.2 cm in depth and            10 cm in diameter when in clusters.        -   Flower buds.—Narrowly obovate in shape, an average of 2.8 cm            in depth and 8 mm in diameter, 61A in color with basal            portion 59A.        -   Flower fragrance.—None.        -   Lastingness of flowers.—About 12 days with about 90% of            flowers in bloom at one stage, self-cleaning.        -   Flower aspect.—Outward to upright.        -   Flower quantity.—An average of 20 per stem, an average of            3,000 per plant 8 years in age.        -   Flower type.—Tubular.        -   Flower size.—Average of 1.4 cm in diameter and 3.6 cm in            depth.        -   Peduncles.—Average of 1.5 cm in length and 1 mm in diameter,            color is a color between 175A and N199B, glabrous surface,            oval in shape.        -   Pedicels.—None, sessile to peduncle.        -   Calyx.—Rotate in shape, an average of 9 mm in depth and 6 mm            in width.        -   Sepals.—5, linear in shape, narrowly acute apex, narrowly            cuneate base, entire margin, an average of 9 mm in length            and 1 mm in width, color on upper surface when opening and            mature is 148A and 148B with upper half heavily tinged with            N186C, color on lower surface when opening and mature is a            color between N186C and 200A, surface is slightly glossy on            both surfaces.        -   Petals.—5, lower 75% fused into tube, spathulate in shape,            margin entire on free portion, apex obtuse, an average of            3.6 cm in length with free portion an average of 1 cm in            width, outer and inner surface is smooth and slightly            glossy, color of inner surface when opening and mature; 70B            blending with 68A with tube portion 64B, color of outer            surface when opening and mature; 61A with tube portion 59B,            color of both surfaces fade to 70B.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—1 pistil, about 3.5 cm in length, style is an            average of 3.3 cm in length, and 59C in color, stigma is            deformed into anther-like structure, ovary is a color            between N186C and 200A.        -   Androcoecium.—5 stamens, filaments are 59C in color and an            average of 1.3 cm in length, anthers are 160B to 160C in            color, an average of 3 mm in length, basifixed and narrowly            oblong in shape, pollen is low in quantity and 158D in            color.        -   Fruit and seed.—No fruit or seed production has been            observed to date.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Weigela plant named ‘Bokrafive’ asherein illustrated and described.